John ril tenhouse stephens



(No Model.)

J. R. STEPHENS.

BUTTON HOLE OPENER. No. 383,021. Patented May 15, 1888.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT rrrcs.

BUTTON-=HOLE OPENER.

$PECIPICA'IION forming part of Letters Patent No. 383,021, dated May 15,1888 Application filed May 14, 1887. Serial No.238,257. (No model.)

.To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OHN RITTnNHoUsE STEPHENS, of Portland, in thecounty of Molt nomah and State of Oregon, haveinvented certain new anduseful Improvements in Button- Hole Openers; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact descrip tion of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in button-hole openers, and ismore particularly adapted for opening the button-holes offreshly-laundered collars and cuffs.

When collars and cuffs are returned from the laundry, there is a greatdifficulty experienced in opening the button-holes of same with theordinary collar-button,while the separable or hinged button is equallyas difficult to manage on account of the stiffness of the button-holefrom starching.

The object of my prescntinvcntion is to obviate this difficulty byproviding a device for opening button-holes that will be simple,durable,and effective in use, be cheap, and capable of attachment to a wall orany article of furniture.

A further object is to provide a device that will fit button holes ofdifferent sizes, and one that can be carried around in'the pocket; andwith these ends in view my invention consists in certain features ofconstruction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in elevation of mydevice provided with the double head adapted to fit button- Fig. 2 is amodificaat its opposite end in screw-threads b, which are adapted toengage the wall or any article of furniture and hold the punch securelyagainst displacement.

The wire A is bent at its middle portion in such a manner that a bearingor handle, B, for the fingers will be formed, thereby allowing thedevice to be readily applied to a wall or article of furniture.

The punch as thus described is double acting--that is, when thebuttonhole of the collar or cuff is forced over the head a the flaps ofsaid button-hole are bent in one direction, while the reverse movement,or the operation of forcing or pulling it off, bends the flaps in theother direction. This operation has the effect of quickly and thoroughlybreaking up the stiffness produced by the starch and renders theapplication to a collarbutton easy.

In the modification, Fig. 2, employ apiece of stout wire, A, having theconicalshaped head a formed on one end and terminating at its oppositeend in a loop, I), by means of which the finger can be inserted and thedevice operated. This latter construction is especially adapted to becarried around in the pocket.

It will be readily seen what advantages this device possesses, inasmuchas it successfully opens button-holes made stiff by starching,andthereby saves great trouble and time in buttoning, which, taken inconnection with the cheapness and durability of the device, makes it astaple article.

It is evident that slight changes might be resorted to in the form andarrangement of the several parts described. For instance, the heads maybe elliptical, or any other form of head might be employed and otherchanges resorted to which would properly fall within the spirit andscope of my invention; hence I do not Wish to limit myself strictly tothe ex act construction herein set forth.

Having fully described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. As a new article of manufacture, the button-hole opener having apointed conical head rounded at its base, and a shank or handle,substantially as shown and described.

2. A device for opening button-holes, consisting, essentially, of a rodhaving tapering heads of different sizes at one end thereof, and ahandle, substantially as set forth.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a device I In testimony whereof Ihave signed this to for opening button holes, consisting,essenspeeificationin the presence of two subscribing tially, of a rodhaving an oval-shaped head at Witnesses. one end and screw-threaded atits opposite end, the screw-threaded end and head being in a JOHNRITTENHOUSE STEPHENS. plane passing longitudinally through the rod, thesaid rod being bent at apoint between the l Witnesses: head and screw toform a handle, substantially THEODORE WYGANT, as set forth. 0. A.FREEMAN.

